DR.

RAM MANOHAR LOHIA NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY

2012
Economics Final Draft
On
White, Yellow & Blue Revolution in Indian
Agriculture
Submitted to: Submitted by:

Mrs. Madhuri Srivastava Mohammad Adil Ansari

(Visiting professor) B.A.LLB (Hons.)

RMLNLU, Lucknow Semester II

Roll No. 77(Section A)

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all, I would like to thank Mrs. Madhuri Srivastava ma’am for giving me
this opportunity to make the project on such an immense topic and all the support
and guidance that I have received from her, without which this project could not
have turned into a reality. I would also like to thank all my colleagues and seniors
for providing me support and material facts and figures related to this topic. Last
but not the least; I would like to thank my parents for providing me appropriate
guidance and support to prepare the project. All the above mentioned people have
very whole heartedly helped me to make this project in the present shape.

Mohammad Adil Ansari

Section: A

Roll No. 77

IInd Semester

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CONTENTS

Name of the topic Page No.

Introduction 05

Chapter 1: White Revolution in Indian 06-12

Agriculture
 Background
 The Revolution
 Aftermath
Chapter 2: Yellow Revolution in Indian 13-20
Agriculture
 Background
 Factors Underlying Success
 Aftermath
Chapter 3: Blue Revolution in Indian 21-25
Revolution

Conclusion 26

Bibliography 27

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 INTRODUCTION

Over the past 50 years India has shown considerable growth in its agro-economy.
It has so far been very successful in achieving its various targets of self-sufficiency
in all aspects. All this was possible because of various revolutions brought about in
Indian agriculture. The revolution in Indian agriculture is mainly identified with the
Green Revolution, which together encompasses the introduction of high-yielding
varieties of major food crops and thereby considerably increasing the amount of
food production in India. All this made India achieve self-sufficiency in food
production. However there were other major revolutions also which helped to shape
the agro-economy of our nation. They were generally focussed on various portions
of our nation depending upon the diversity of its resources. Revolutions such as
Operation Flood or commonly known as White revolution in Indian agriculture
helped India overcome its problem of deficiency of milk production. Not only it
was a huge success but it also established India as the leading producer of milk in
the world leaving behind U.S.A. Another one such revolution was Yellow
revolution which increased the oilseed production in India. This revolution was of
considerable importance as it focused on dry parts of our nation where cultivation
of major crops was either not possible or not profitable. The oilseed production
doubled under the Yellow Revolution and the farmers especially in these dry parts
of India greatly benefited from it. Blue Revolution was another such revolution
which focussed on the coastal areas of our nation. It emphasized on the increased
production from aquaculture. So far our aquaculture production has increased
tenfolds since the time of independence. India is the world's largest producer of
milk, fruits, cashew nuts, coconuts, ginger, turmeric, banana, sapota, pulses, and
black pepper. India is the second largest producer of groundnut, wheat, vegetables,
sugar and fish in the world.

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CHAPTER 1: White Revolution in
Indian Agriculture

Operation Flood in India, a project of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) was the

world's biggest dairy development programme and one of the largest rural development
programme which made India, which was earlier a milk-deficient nation, the largest milk
producer in the world, surpassing the USA in 1998, with about 17 percent of global output in
2010–11, which in 30 years doubled the milk available per person, and which made dairy
farming India’s largest self-sustainable rural employment generator. All this was achieved not
merely by mass production, but by production by the masses.
The disappointing performance of the dairy sector during the 1950s and 1960s concerned policy
makers, and the Government of India undertook a far-reaching policy initiative. Dairy
development through producers' cooperatives and milk production based on milk sheds in the
rural areas, modeled on the successful experience of dairy cooperatives in Gujarat, became the
cornerstone of the new dairy sector policy. This policy initiative turned the Indian dairy sector
around and led to all-around growth with several unarticulated spread effects.

The Government of India launched a massive dairy development program popularly known as
Operation Flood (OF) from 1971 to 1996. The program was initially started with the help of the
World Food Program (WFP) and later continued with dairy commodity assistance from the
European Economic Community (EEC) and a soft loan/credit from the World Bank. Under this
program, rural producers were organized into cooperatives so they would have an assured
market, remunerative prices, and inputs and services for milk production enhancement, such as
better feed and fodder, breed improvement through artificial insemination, and disease control
measures. The program was unique in its approach inasmuch as the gift dairy commodities
received by India under the program were not consumed by free distribution but were used to
manufacture liquid milk, and funds thus generated were reinvested in rural areas in milk
production enhancement activities. This coordinated and innovative effort has greatly increased
milk production and ushered in a "White Revolution," making India the world's largest milk
producer.

The Anand pattern experiment  at  Amul, a single, cooperative dairy, was the engine behind the
success of the programme. Verghese Kurien was made the chairman of NDDB by the then Prime

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Minister of India,Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri, and he was the chairman and founder of Amul as
well. Kurien gave the necessary thrust using his professional management skills to the
programme, and is recognised as its architect.
Launched in 1970, Operation Flood has helped dairy farmers direct their development, placing
control of the resources they create in their own hands. A National Milk Grid link milk producers
throughout India with consumers in over 700 towns and cities, reducing seasonal and regional
price variations while ensuring that the producer gets fair market prices in a transparent manner
on a regular basis.
The bedrock of Operation Flood has been village milk producers’ cooperatives, which procure
milk and provide inputs and services, making modern management and technology available to
members. Operation Flood’s objectives included:
 Increase milk production ( “ a flood of milk “ )
 Augment rural incomes
 Reasonable prices for consumers

Background
The revolution started as an awareness among the farmers that grew and matured into a protest
movement and the determination to liberate themselves. Over four decades ago, the life of a
farmer in Kaira District was very much like that of his counterpart anywhere else in India. His
income was derived almost entirely from seasonal crops. The income from milch buffaloes was
undependable. The marketing and distribution system for the milk was controlled by private
traders and middlemen. As milk is perishable, farmers were compelled to sell it for whatever
they were offered. Often, they had to sell cream and ghee at throwaway prices. In this situation,
the one who gained was the private trader. Gradually, the realization dawned on the farmers that
the exploitation by the trader could be checked only if marketed their milk themselves. In order
to do that they needed to form some sort of an organization. This realization is what led to the
establishment of the Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union Limited (popularly
known as Amul) which was formally registered on December 14, 1946.
The Kaira Union began pasteurizing milk for the Bombay Milk Scheme in June 1948. An
assured market proved a great incentive to the milk producers of the district. By the end of 1948,
more than 400 farmers joined in more village societies, and the quantity of milk handled by one
Union increased from 250 to 5,000 liters a day.

Milk by products and supplementary yield which suffered from the same lack of marketing and
distribution facilities became encumbrances. Instead of being bogged down by their fate they
were used as stepping stones for expansion. Backward integration of the process led the

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cooperatives to advances in animal husbandry and veterinary practice. And this culminated the
start of the White Revolution in Indian Agriculture.

The Revolution

Milk by-products: An excuse to expand.

The response to these provided stimulus for further growth. For example, as the movement
spread in the district, it was found that the Bombay Milk Scheme could not absorb the extra milk
collected by the Kaira Union in winter, when the production on an average was 2.5 times more
than in summer. Thus, even by 1953, the farmer-members had no assured market for the extra
milk produced in winter. They were again forced to sell a large surplus at low rates to the
middlemen. The remedy was to set up a plant to process milk into products like butter and milk
powder. A Rs 5 million plant to manufacture milk powder and butter was completed in 1955. In
1958, the factory was expanded to manufacture sweetened condensed milk. Two years later, a
new wing was added for the manufacture of 2500 tons of roller-dried baby food and 600 tons of
cheese per year, the former based on a formula developed with the assistance of Central Food
Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore. It was the first time anywhere in the world
that cheese or baby food was made from buffalo milk on a large, commercial scale. Another
milestone was the completion of a project to manufacture balanced cattle feed. The plant was
donated by OXFAM under the Freedom From Hunger Campaign of the FAO.

To meet the requirement of milk powder for the Defense, the Kaira Union was asked by the
Government of India in 1963 to setup additional milk drying capacity. A new dairy capable of
producing 40 tons of milk powder and 20 tons of butter a day was speedily completed. It was
declared open in 1965. The Mogar Complex where high protein weaning food, chocolate and
malted food are being made was another initiative by Amul to ensure that while it fulfilled the
social responsibility to meet the demand for liquid milk, its members were not deprived of the
benefits to be had from the sale of high value-added products.

Cattle: From stumbling blocks to building blocks.

Traditionally dairying was a subsidiary occupation of the farmers of Kaira. However, the
contribution to the farmer's income was not as prominent as his attachment to dairying as a
tradition handed down from one generation to the next. The milk yield from animals, which were
maintained mainly on the by products of the farm, was decidedly low. That together with the
lack of facilities to market even the little produced rendered the scientific practice of animal

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husbandry irrational as well as unaffordable. The return on the investment as well as the
prospects of being able to market the product looked very bleak. It was a vicious cycle reinforced
by generations of beliefs.

The Kaira Union broke the cycle by not only taking upon themselves the responsibility of
collecting the marketable surplus of milk but also provided the members with every provision
needed to enhance production. Thus the Kaira Union has full-fledged machinery geared to
provide animal health care and breeding facilities. As early as late fifties, the Union started
making high quality buffalo semen. Through village society workers artificial insemination
service was made available to the rural animal population. The Union started its mobile
veterinary services to render animal health care at the farmers' doorstep. Probably for the first
time in the country, veterinary first aid services, by trained personnel, were made available in the
villages.The Union's 16 mobile veterinary dispensaries are manned by fully qualified staff. All
the villages are visited bi-monthly, on a predetermined day, to provide animal health care. A 24-
hour Emergency Service is also available at a fee (Rs. 35 for members and Rs. 100 for non-
members). All the mobile veterinary vans are equipped with Radio Telephones.

The Union runs a semen production center where it maintains high pedigreed Surti buffalo bulls,
Holstein Friesian bulls, Jersey bulls and 50 per cent crossbred bulls. The semen obtained from
these bulls is used for artificial breeding of buffaloes and cows belonging to the farmer members
of the district. The artificial insemination service has become very popular because it regulates
the frequency of calving in cows and buffaloes thus reducing their dry period. Not only that, a
balanced feed concentrate is manufactured in the Union's Cattle Feed Plant and sold to the
members through the societies at cost price.

The Kaira experiment: A new beginning in more ways than one.

A system which involves participation of people on such a large magnitude does not confine
itself to an isolated sector. The ripples of its turbulence affect other areas of the society as well.
The cooperatives in the villages of Kaira are contributing to various desirable social changes
such as:

 The yearly elections of the management committee and its chairman, by the members, are
making the participants aware of their rights and educating them about the democratic
process.
 Perpetuating the voluntary mix of the various ethnic and social groups twice-a-day for
common causes and mutual betterment has resulted in eroding many social inequilibria.
The rich and the poor, the elite and the ordinary come together to cooperate for a
common cause.

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  Live exposure to various modern technologies and their application in day-to-day life has
not only made them aware of these developments but also made it easier for them to
adopt these very processes for their own betterment. One might wonder whether the
farmer who knows almost everything about impregnating a cow or buffalo, is also
equally aware of the process in the humans and works towards planning it.
 More than 900 village cooperatives have created jobs for nearly 5000 people in their own
villages -- without disturbing the socio-agro-system -- and thereby the exodus from the
rural areas has been arrested to a great extent.
 The income from milk has contributed to their household economy. Besides, women,
who are the major participants, now have a say in the home economy.

Independent studies by various individuals and institutions have shown that as high as 48 per
cent of the income of the rural household in Kaira District is being derived from dairying. Since
dairying is a subsidairy occupation for the majority of the rural population, this income is helping
these people not only to liberate themselves from the stronghold of poverty but also to elevate
their social status.

Program Implementation

Operation Flood was implemented in three phases.

Phase I
Phase I (1970–1980) was financed by the sale of skimmed milk powder and butter vv oil donated
by the European Union (then the European Economic Community) through the World Food
Programme. NDDB planned the programme and negotiated the details of EEC assistance.
During its first phase, Operation Flood linked 18 of India's premier milksheds with consumers in
India's major metropolitan cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. Thus establishing
mother dairies in four metros.
The Operation Flood – 1 originally meant to be completed in 1975, actually spanned the period
of about nine years from 1970–79, at a total cost of Rs.116 crores.
At start of operation Flood-1 in 1970 certain set of aims were kept in view for the
implementation of the programmes. Improvement by milk marketing the organized dairy sector
in the metropolitan cities Mumbai(then Bombay), Kolkata(then Calcutta), Chennai(then Madras)
and Delhi. The objectives of commanding share of milk market and speed up development of
dairy animals respectively hinter lands of rural areas with a view to increase both production and
procurement.

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Phase II
Operation Flood Phase II (1981–1985) increased the milksheds from 18 to 136; 290 urban
markets expanded the outlets for milk. By the end of 1985, a self-sustaining system of 43,000
village cooperatives with 4,250,000 milk producers were covered. Domestic milk powder
production increased from 22,000 tons in the pre-project year to 140,000 tons by 1989, all of the
increase coming from dairies set up under Operation Flood. In this way EEC gifts and World
Bank loan helped promote self-reliance. Direct marketing of milk by producers' cooperatives
increased by several million litres a day.
Phase III
Phase III (1985–1996) enabled dairy cooperatives to expand and strengthen the infrastructure
required to procure and market increasing volumes of milk. Veterinary first-aid health care
services, feed and artificial insemination services for cooperative members were extended, along
with intensified member education.
Operation Flood's Phase III consolidated India's dairy cooperative movement, adding 30,000 new
dairy cooperatives to the 42,000 existing societies organized during Phase II. Milk-sheds peaked
to 173 in 1988-89 with the numbers of women members and Women's Dairy Cooperative
Societies increasing significantly.
Phase III gave increased emphasis to research and development in animal health and animal
nutrition. Innovations like vaccine for Theileriosis, bypassing protein feed andurea-
molasses mineral blocks, all contributed to the enhanced productivity of milk producing animals.

Verghese Kurien
No discussion about the Indian White Revolution can be complete without the mention of ‘The
Father of White Revolution’, ‘Padam Vibhushan’ Verghese Kurien. Verghese Kurien (26
November 1921 – 9 September 2012) was a renowned Indian social entrepreneur and is best
known as the "Father of the White Revolution", for his 'billion-litre idea' (Operation Flood) —
the world's biggest agricultural development programme. The operation took India from being a
milk-deficient nation, to the largest milk producer in the world. Dairy farming became India’s
largest self-sustaining industry. He made the country self-sufficient in edible oils too later on,
taking head-on the powerful and entrenched oil supplying lobby.

He founded around 30 institutions of excellence (like AMUL, GCMMF, IRMA, NDDB) which
are owned, managed by farmers and run by professionals. As the founding chairman of the
Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), Kurien was responsible for the
creation and success of the Amul brand of dairy products. A key achievement at Amul was the
invention of milk powder processed from buffalo milk (abundant in India), as opposed to that
made from cow-milk, in the then major milk producing nations. His achievements with the Amul
dairy led Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri to appoint him as the founder-chairman of National
Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in 1965, to replicate Amul's "Anand model" nationwide.

One of the greatest proponents of the cooperative movement in the world, his work has alleviated
millions out of poverty not only in India but also outside. Hailed as the "Milkman of India",
10
Kurien won several awards including the Padma Vibhushan (India's second-highest civilian
honour), the World Food Prize and the Magsaysay Award for community leadership.

Aftermath
Milk production in India increased from 17 million tons in 1950-51 to 84.6 million tons in 2001-
02 and is expected to reach 88 million tons during 2002-03 (GOI, 2003). Therefore, from being a
recipient of massive material support from the World Food Program and European Community
in the 1960s, India has rapidly positioned itself as the world's largest producer of milk.

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Chapter 2: Yellow Revolution in
Indian Agriculture
The oilseeds production scenario in India has witnessed a dramatic turn. The country achieved a
status of 'self sufficient and net exporter' during early nineties, rising from the 'net importer' state,
with a mere annual production of nearly 11 million tonnes from the annual oilseed crops, uptil
the year 1986,87. In a span of just a decade, an all time record oilseeds production of 25 million
tonnes from annual oilseed crops was attained during 1996,97. This transformation has been
termed as "The Yellow Revolution" and could be primarily attributed to the institutional support,
particularly the set up of the Technology Mission on Oilseeds in 1986. Significant outcome of
the Mission and other related developments included the following;

i) the improved oilseeds production technology

ii) the expansion in cultivated area, and

iii) the price support policy.

As a result, the gains made possible were none short of a revolution and were rightly named as
the yellow revolution.

India is among the largest oil economies in the region/world. The country also occupies a distinct
position in terms of diversity in annual oilseed crops. The prevailing agro-ecological conditions
have been favourable for growing several important annual oilseeds, including edible {namely,
groundnut, rapeseed-mustard, soybean, sunflower, safflower, sesame and niger) and non-edible
oilseeds {namely, castor and linseed). In addition, a wide range of other minor oilseeds and oil
bearing tree species add to the diversity as well as oilseed production in the country. India
contributes a large share to the global castor production {76.9percent) and also a substantial one
to production of sesame {31.2 per cent) and groundnut {25.1 percent).The country is the largest
producer of castor and sesame and second largest producer of groundnut and rapeseed-
mustard{next to China). A production jump from 4.9 million tonnes to 8.8 million tonnes in
terms of oil A mustard field nearing maturity equivalent recorded a high annual growth of 6.9
percent as against 5.0 and 3.4 per cent for the region and the world, respectively. The other
countries in the region that showed substantial increase in production (oil equivalent) and growth
were Indonesia (8.2 per cent) and Malaysia (6.4 per cent) which could, however, be attributed
mainly to increased production in oilpalm, in both cases. China topped in production figures
in1995 (12.5 million tonnes) but recorded a low annual growth (3.1 per cent).

The Indian vegetable oil industry achieved domestic turnover of above US $10,000 million
during 1996-97. Its international trade in oil and oil meals annually accounted for US $1,850
million. The country further produced over 7 million tonnes of compound feed per annum, with
an annual growth rate of 8-10 per cent.
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It is important to observe that with a record production of about 25 million tonnes of oilseeds
from an area of nearly 27 million hectares and productivity of931 kg/ha during 1996,97 (Table
2), the oilseeds area, production and productivity in India have increased nearly 2.5 times, 5
times and 2 times, respectively, since 1950,51. The role of technology in fostering and sustaining
the production has been effectively realized. Further, the technology was economically viable
and sustainable. It sustained the grpwth that was achieved in spite of different adverse factors,
such as;the mpisture and nutrient scarcity conditions, among others. Having achieved
sustainability in growth is commendable particularly when the area under irrigation rallied 25 per
cent and the annual vegetable oilseeds are grown mostly under such conditions.

The phenomenal growth in all sectors related to production and productivity of diverse oilseed
crops is a sure success. Other countries in the region may harness similar opportunities
depending upon the respective situations and technologies available for transfer. Above all, this
success signals an important message in favour of possibilities to combine results of
agrobiodiversity, productivity and profitability.

Background

The Technology Mission on Oilseeds

The turning point was the year 1986. The annual production of oilseed crops was virtually
stagnating at about 10 million tonnes over a span of more than 15 years in spite of a considerable
increase in area under oilseed crops from 10.73 m ha in 195.0-51 to 19.02 m ha in 1985-86. Till
mid-eighties, the growth in output also lagged far behind the growth in demand, thus forcing the
government to resort to large scale import of edible oils (to the tune of US $1,100 million during
1981-86) to bridge the demand-supply gap. Realising the fact, the Government of India
appointed the Technology Mission on Oilseeds in May 1986, with the objective to create/manage
conditions that would harness the best of production, processing and storage technologies to
attain self reliance in edible oils in the foreseeable future. A target of producing 16-18 million
tonnes of the nine annual oilseeds (groundnut, rapeseed-mustard, soybean, sunflower, safflower,
sesame, niger, linseed and castor) was fixed to substantially cut down the imports by the year
1990.

The scope of the Mission and strategies to be adopted to achieve the objective were set well
before the onset of the Mission in February 1986, which is elaborated in the excerpts from the
then Prime Minister's speech as given below:

"One of our biggest problems today in the agricultural sector

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is oilseeds .We are setting up a thrust Mission for oilseeds production .

When we talk of a Mission, we mean an exercise starting from

the engineering of the seeds and finishing with the finished products

of the vegetable oil ( and the byproducts like oil meal) which could

be delivered to the consumer. We would like to put one person

in~charge of such a Mission with full funding, with no restrictions

on him, whether bureaucratic or otherwise. The only limits will

be certain achievements which must come within a certain time

frame. This will cut across a number of ministries. ...”

The Mission started functioning as a consortium of concerned Govt. departments, namely,

Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Agriculture and Cooperation (DoAC), Civil
Supplies (DoCS), Commerce (DoC), Science and Technology (DST), Biotechnology (DBT),
Planning, Health, Irrigation and Economic Affairs. The Mission adopted a four-pronged strategy
under the following Mini-Missions:

Mini-Mission-I: Improvement of crop production and protection technologies for realizing

higher yields and profit to farmers.

Mini-Mission-II: Improvement of processing and post harvest technology to minimise the losses
and increase the oil yield from both traditional and non-traditional sources of oil.

Mini-Mission-III: Strengthening the input support system to ensure availability of right kind of
seed, fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation, credit, etc. and to bring awareness among farmers about
the potential of the farm worthy technology through massive transfer of technology programmes.

Mini- Mission- IV: Improvement of post harvest operations for effective procurement, handling,
disposal including price support system to farmers and financial and other supports to processing
industry.

The nodal departments, participating organisations and their respective functional areas under
different Mini-Missions were clearly defined to enable a smooth interaction, efficiency and
effective output.

Growth in Annual Oilseeds Production

Thanks to the Oilseeds Technology Mission, India witnessed a spurt in the annual oilseeds
production. A series of synergistic and farmer oriented programmes launched by the Mission
along with better availability of crop production technologies, inputs, services and support price
policy were together responsible for the achievements.
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During the past decade, soybean registered the highest compound annual growth rate of
production followed by castor, sunflower and rapeseed-mustard. The simultaneous growth in
area, production and productivity observed under rainfed crops has no parallel in the
region/world. Presently, oilseeds occupy nearly 13 per cent of the gross cropped area and
account for 5 per cent of the gross national product and 10 per cent of the value of all agricultural
products.

Among the oilseed crops, groundnut, rapeseed-mustard and soybean recorded a major share, in
terms of both area (74 per cent) and production (84 per cent), of oilseeds in the country. In terms
of growth in productivity, castor topped the list followed by sunflower, soybean and safflower
during 1985-86 to 1995-96.

The oilseed sector has made very important contribution towards foreign exchange earning. This
was achieved from the export of soymeal, castor oil, oil cake/extractions, hand-picked selectiou
(HPS) groundnut and sesame seed. In addition, export of branded edible

oil in small packs has also been done. The national export earnings from oilseeds crossed US $
1,000 million during the year 1996-97 of which the contribution from exports of oil meals was
US $ 900 million.

Factors Underlying Success

Research Set up and Breeders' Seed Production

India has the largest research network for the development of location specific oilseeds crop
production technologies. It includes the All India Coordinated Research Project on Oilseeds
(AICRPO) and the Directorate of Oilseeds Research (DOR) at Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh),
three National Research Centres, one each for soybean at Indore (Madhya Pradesh), groundnut at
Junagadh (Gujarat) and rapeseed-mustard at Bharatpur (Rajasthan). Besides, the State
Agricultural Universities, other ICAR institutes and private/corporate sector have also been
involved in oilseeds research and development programmes. A multitude of improved
technologies have been generated and transferred on to farmers' fields over the time through this
network. The oilseed research set up in the public sector has about 500 well trained scientists
engaged in research and technology generation purposes. Realizing the fact that quality seed is
the most crucial, critical and vital input to enhance productivity of oilseed crops, separate
breeders' seed production units in these crops were also established. Consequently the breeder
seed production, 'as a basic input to quality seed production, increased 3.7 folds.

15
Improved Crop Production Technology
During the past two decades, over 240 improved varieties/hybrids have been developed in annual
oilseeds, which have shown 9 to 38 per cent yield superiority over the local cultivars. A further
scope is envisaged to capitalize on this potential area with the development of varieties/hybrids
which can out yield 50 per cent more or even higher than the existing varieties under farmers'
field.

Hybrids and Improved Varieties

Development of two safflower hybrids in India is recorded as the 'first' in the world. The
safflower hybrid DSH-129, developed by the Directorate of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad and
released for commercial cultivation for all safflower growing areas in the country, has an average
yield potential of 1750 kg/ha. It offered 22 per cent higher seed yield and 29 per cent higher oil
yield over the presently grown varieties during rabi/summer season in black soils. The
development and release of hybrids in castor namely, DCH-32 and GCH-4 and a high yielding
variety DCS-9 (Jyoti} revolutionised castor production in the country. New hybrids in sunflower
and castor that were brought out in series have provided new opportunities. A few more hybrids
in rapeseed-mustard, are round the corner. Efforts are also on to evolve hybrid in sesame.
Breeding efforts in oilseed crops to meet the objectives such as the oil content in the seed,
resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, reduced crop duration etc. have been quite successful.

Improved Packages of Cultivation Practices

To maximize yield gains from improved technology in terms of varieties/hy~rids, agronomic

packages for efficient crop management have been developed for different crops and situations,
which assured better results.

Plant Genetic Resources

Sustained utilization of the genetic resources in different oilseeds augmented through collection/
introduction of native/exotic plant species and the genetic stocks developed by crop specific
breeding programmes contributed effectively towards breeding of improved varieties. The exotic
oilseed crops/varieties, particularly soybean and sunflower, have also helped produce good
results.

Support Price Policy

Considering the fact that oilseed crops being considerably influenced by market forces, are prone
to wide fluctuations in prices of oilseeds, a positive view was taken by the government, which
resulted in increased support price of oilseed as compared with other crops over the years. The
ruling open market prictJ:s had been about 20 per cent higher than the support prices during the
16
harvest times and about 50 per cent higher during the lean period. The announcement of support
prices before sowing of crops provided the guaranteed market clearance and thereby geared up a
switch over from cultivation of staple cereal crop(s) to market oriented non-food crops.

As a part of the Market Intervention Operations (MIO) by the National Dairy Development
Board (NDDB), the imported oil (other than that released through the public distribution system)
was channelised into the market and the vanaspati industry, and buying, stocking and selling of
oilseeds/oils continued to be undertaken in the domestic market. The NDDB also introduced
vegetable oil in the consumer packs under the brand name of 'Dhara', which not only narrowed
the range of prices of different edible oils (thereby discouraging adulteration of costlier oils with
cheaper ones, being an economically unattractive proposition) but also helped in popularising
blended edible oils.

Extension and Training in Oilseeds Technology

Technology Transfer Frontline Demonstrations: With a view to demonstrate under real farm
situations the productivity potentials and profitability of a spectrum of improved oilseeds crop
production technologies, evolved by the oilseeds research network in the country from time to
time, on-farm demonstrations were organised through various technology transfer programmes
of the Central and State Governments, State Agricultural Universities and voluntary
organisations. Among the most successful of such programmes figured the "Frontline
Demonstrations in Oilseeds" Project, a component of the Oilseeds Production and Development
Programme (OPDP) of the Government of India that supplemented the Oilseed Technology
Mission. During 1990-91 to 1996-97, more than 8,000 demonstrations were organised in
different oilseed crops across various agro-ecological and crop growing situations. It has been
unequivocally proved over years that the improved technologies offered yield advantage ranging
from 24 per cent to 107 per cent over the prevailing farming practices, with the benefit:cost ratio
varying from 1.35 to 3.33 across different crops, regions and situations. These demonstrations
overwhelmingly convinced the farmers of the efficacy of improved technologies, thereby
promoting their on-farm adoption.

Training and Education: Several short and medium term training programmes were organised
and thousands of extension functionaries have been trained over the time by oilseeds research
network involving ICAR, SAUs and other development organisations. The trainees included
officials from the State Departments of Agriculture of different states, such as. subject matter
specialists, Joint/Deputy/ Assistant Directors of Agriculture, Project Officers of OPDP of State/
GOI, scientists from SAUs, extension personnel of other voluntary organisations and progressive
farmers.

The untiring and sustained efforts by the oilseeds research and extension machinery to
disseminate the knowledge on improved technology included, (i) publication and distribution of
'Package of cultivation practices for increasing production' for each of the oilseed crops in
English, Hindi and regional languages; (ii) publication and distribution of technical bulletins on
specific weed/insect/disease management technologies, seed production and frontline
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demonstrations, ( iii) use of mass media such as video films on improved crop cultivation
practices, radio talks and television programmes by scientists, and (iv) organisation of field
days/farmers' rallies etc., among others.

Institutional Support and Linkages

Besides linking the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), the National
Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED), the National Dairy Development
Board (NDDB), Oilseeds Growers' Societies ( village level) and Oilseeds Growers' Federations
(state level) for implementing the support price policy, projects to evolve and perfect'new
technologies for oilseeds and transfer these on to farmers' fields were initiated. A development
project for groundnut was launched in 1980-81 and that for soybean in 1981-82. Also, a
programme for distribution of minikits of improved seeds and fertilisers for oilseeds was started
in 1980-81.

In 1985-86, the National Oilseeds Development Project (NODP) was launched with a view to
accelerating the production of four major oilseeds, namely, groundnut, rapeseed-mustard,
soybean and sunflower. Under this programme, seeds of improved varieties, plant protection
chemicals, fertilisers and rhizobium culture were made available to the growers at subsidised
rates. The efforts of State Departments of Agriculture, ICAR institutes and SAUs were devoted
towards demonstrating the potentials of improved technologies on farmers' fields. Initially, the
efforts were concentrated in potential areas of 12 states, but later the project was extended to :
180 districts of 17 states in the country.

While the interaction of remunerative prices and new technology started showing its positive
impact on the production of oilseeds, the need for integrated efforts on harnessing the best of
production, processing and management technologies of the oilseed economy was strongly felt.
Towards this end, the Technology Mission on Oilseeds (TMO) launched in May 1986, "Oilseeds
Production Thrust

Project (OPTP)" initiated in 1987-88, covering 246 districts of 17 states and later extended to
more areas, helped in attaining the developmental goals. To provide further operational teeth, in
1990-91, the NODP and OPTP were merged under one programme, namely, the Oilseeds
Production Programme (OPP).

Reasons for Success

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The following factors played their crucial role in bringing success to the oilseed mission and
thereby the yellow revolution in India:

1. Strong socio-economic and political will to become self-sufficient in vegetable oils.

2. Biodiversity and the matching diversity in agro-ecology and farming situations for various
annual oilseed crops, inspite of the paucity of more prospective oil crops such as the oilpalm.

3. Economically viable and sustainable improved oilseeds production technologies generated

with the help of strong and vibrant oilseeds research network coupled with encouraging financial
and policy supports to research.

4. Attractive incentives to the farmers in terms of minimum support prices and input subsidies.

5. Institutional support for the overall oilseeds research and development by public, corporate
and private sectors, particularly the setting up of the Technology Mission on Oilseeds by the
Government of India.

6. Effective implementation, monitoring and periodical evaluation of the technology transfer

programmes, especially the "Frontline Demonstrations in Oilseeds" Project.

7. Integrated, effective, efficient and transparent functional farmer research-industry-policy

interface.

Aftermath
The achievement of self-sufficiency in vegetable oils in India that nullified the foreign exchange
drain witnessed during eighties is a sure success. This could be an example to follow in the Asia-
Pacific region whereby other countries may achieve similar results. The holistic approach in the
form of mission mode adopted by the Government of India to tackle the problem of burgeoning
import bill on edible oil front is worth commendation. However, since the oilseed crops are
sensitive to market forces and are mostly grown in moisture and nutrition scarce conditions,
sustaining the success in the long run is not so easy a task. Sufficient rethinking has to be done in
several spheres to sustain and flourish.

Research funding by the Government needs to be strengthened for oilseeds research and
development in the era of liberalised world trade. All the research priorities/activities need to be
organised in a matrix mode of operation. The support price policy needs to be continued and
strengthened. The market mechanism of offering higher price for quality oilseeds with higher oil
content and of better quality may have to be searched for. Quality consideration of oilseeds is
desired as a matter of principle. This would encourage and provide a sense of direction to the
oilseed growers and researchers alike. The "seasonally variable import duty" may have to be
19
continuously followed to safeguard the overall interests of oilseed sector. Owing to wide intra
and inter seasonal fluctuations in commodity prices of oilseeds and vegetable oils, the move to
allow "futures trading" in these commodities needs to be hastened. Since oilseeds generally
require less water as compared to many other crops, irrigation water charges should be
commensurate with the water used rather than on flat area basis.

India should strive to export value added products instead of exporting direct items like oilseeds,
oil and oil cakes. Castor oil which forms the basis for many oleo-chemicals has a great potential.
Hydrogenated castor oil, dehydrated castor oil, sebacicacid, undecylimic acid heptaldehyde are
some important oleo-chemicals with high value and can earn larger foreign exchange. Similarly,
mustard oil which is rich in erucic acid is a useful industrial raw material. Cultivation of varieties
with low/zero levels of toxic constituents or adoption of some detoxification techniques can
improve the export of some seeds and cakes. The existing farmer-research-industry-policy
sectoral interface needs to be strengthened for achieving the overall development of the oilseed
sector. However a second Yellow Revolution is the need of the hour so that the aim of self-
sufficiency can be further fulfilled.

Chapter 3: Blue Revolution in Indian

Agriculture
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Fishing in India is a major industry in its coastal states and employs more than 15 million people.
The fish production in India has increased more than tenfold since the time of independence.
Fish output has doubled between 1990 and 2010. All this has been all together attributed as the
Blue Revolution in Indian agriculture. India has a vast marine coastline of more than 8100 km,
more than 3800 fishing villages, and about 1900 traditional fish landing centers. India's fresh
water resources consist of nearly 195,000 kilometers of rivers and canals, 3 million hectares of
minor and major reservoirs, 2.3 million hectares of ponds and lakes, and about 0.75 million
hectares of flood plain wetlands and water bodies. The marine fish harvested in India, consist of
about 65 commercially important species/groups. India is a major supplier of fish in the world.
Marine and freshwater catch fishing combined with aquaculture fish farming is a rapidly
growing industry in India.

In the 1960s, India made headlines with its Green Revolution, using high-yielding varieties and
improved technology to more than double its output of wheat between 1965 and 1972.Today,
India is pushing ahead with a Blue Revolution, the rapid increase of fish production in small
ponds and water bodies, a boon to small farmers, the nation's nutrition and its gross domestic
product.

The Indian fisheries sector, which 50 years ago produced only 600 000 tonnes of fish, today
produces 5 million tonnes, including 1.6 million tonnes from freshwater aquaculture. Although
the yield from marine fisheries has stagnated, freshwater aquaculture is growing at a healthy 6
percent a year.

Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA) founded about 11 years ago was the most
instrumental element in bringing about this revolution. It was born on a tract of empty land not
far from the Bay of Bengal in Orissa State. There was continual input from FAO in the form of
fellowships, equipment and consultancies. When the Government of India moved to put more
emphasis on its aquaculture sector in the late 1970s, it turned to an outside agency for assistance.
The result of the India-FAO collaboration is the Central Institution of Freshwater Aquaculture
(CIFA), India's largest such centre with over 500 ponds, labs and training facilities. Located near
Bhubaneswar, Orissa, CIFA has a long list of achievements to its name: multiple breeding of
carp, intensive carp culture with production rates of 10 and 15 tonnes per hectare per year
(compared with 2 to 3 tonnes or less using traditional village methods and quality fish fry),
breeding and hatchery management of catfish and freshwater prawns, formulation of diets for
fish and prawn species using locally available ingredients and formulation and
commercialization of a new drug for treating Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome, a fatal fish disease
that can quickly wipe out a farmer's investment

According to an estimate the global consumption of fish is 12 kg per person, while in India the
average consumption is 8 kg per person, so there is considerable scope for aquaculture market in
the Indian sphere.

Marine and freshwater catch fishing combined with aquaculture fish farming is a rapidly
growing industry in India. In 2008 India was the sixth largest producer of freshwater and marine
capture fisheries, and the second largest aquaculture farmed fish producer in the world. Fish as
food—both from fish farms and catch fisheries—offers India one of the easiest and fastest way
to address malnutrition and food security.

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Despite rapid growth in total fish production, a fish farmers’ average annual production in India
is only 2 metric tonnes per person, compared to 172 tonnes in Norway, 72 tonnes in Chile, and 6
tonnes per fisherman in China. Higher productivity, knowledge transfer for sustainable fishing,
continued growth in fish production with increase in fish exports have the potential for
increasing the living standards of Indian fishermen.

As of 2010, fish harvest distribution was difficult within India because of poor rural road
infrastructure, lack of cold storage and absence of organized retail in most parts of the country.

ROLE OF BLUE REVOLUTION IN INDIAN ECONOMY

Fishing in India contributed over 1 percent of India's annual gross domestic product in 2008.
Between 1990 to 2007, fish production in India has grown at a higher rate than food grains, milk,
eggs, and other food items.

Catch fishing in India employs about 14.5 million people. The country's rich marine and inland
water resources, fisheries and aquaculture offer an attractive and promising sector for
employment, livelihood, and food security. Fish products from India are well received by almost
half of world's countries, creating export-driven employment opportunities in India and greater
food security for the world. During the past decades the Indian fisheries and aquaculture has
witnessed improvements in craft, tackle and farming methods. Creation of required harvest and
post-harvest infrastructure has been receiving due attention of the central and state governments.
All this has been inducing a steady growth.

To harvest the economic benefits from fishing, India is adopting exclusive economic zone,
stretching 200 nautical miles (370 km) into the Indian Ocean, encompasses more than 2 million
square kilometers. In the mid-1980s, only about 33 percent of that area was being exploited. The
potential annual catch from the area has been estimated at 4.5 million tons. In addition to this
marine zone, India has about 14,000 km² of brackish water available for aquaculture, of which
only 600 km² were being farmed in the early 1990s; about 16,000 km² of freshwater lakes,
ponds, and swamps; and nearly 64,000 kilometers of rivers and streams.

In 1990, there were 1.7 million full-time fishermen, 1.3 million part-time fishermen, and 2.3
million occasional fishermen, many of whom worked as saltmakers, ferrymen, or seamen, or
operated boats for hire. In the early 1990s, the fishing fleet consisted of 180,000 traditional craft
powered by sails or oars, 26,000 motorized traditional craft, and some 34,000 mechanized boats.

The FAO of the United Nations estimates that about 1.2 million hectares of potential
brackishwater area available in India is suitable for farming, in addition to this, around 8.5
million hectares of salt affected areas are also available, of which about 2.6 million hectares
could be exclusively utilised for aquaculture due to the unsuitability of these resources for other
agriculture based activities. However, just like India's fresh water resources, the total
brackishwater area under cultivation is only just over 13 percent of the potential water area
available. India offers opportunities for highly productive farming of shrimp in its brackishwater
resources.

Carp hatcheries in both the public and private sectors have contributed towards the increase in
seed production from 6321 million fry in 1985–1986 to over 18500 million fry in 2007. There

22
are 35 freshwater prawn hatcheries in the coastal states producing over 200 million seed per
annum. Furthermore, the 237 shrimp hatcheries with a production capacity of approximately
11.425 billion post larvae per year are meeting the seed requirement of the brackish water shrimp
farming sector.

Rajiv Gandhi Center for Aquaculture(RGCA)

Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture is the Research and Development arm of the Marine
Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), which, inspired by the late Prime Minister
Rajiv Gandhi’s vision of making India a technologically advanced nation, founded this Centre of
Excellence in Aquaculture and dedicated it to the development of the Indian Aquaculture
Industry. RGCA is actively involved in the development of various Sustainable Aquaculture
Technologies that are bio-secure, eco-friendly, traceable and with low carbon outputs, for seed
production and grow out farming of various aquatic species, those having export potential in
particular. RGCA is also developing a state-of-the-art technology transfer and training centre for
disseminating the technologies developed at the various projects established at different locations
in the country to the aquaculture industry in India.

Leading fish pr Distribution of fish industry in Indian states

Fishing is a diverse industry in India. The table below presents the top ten fish harvesting
states in India, for the 2007-2008 agriculture year.

Rank State Total production (metric tonnes)

1 West Bengal 1,447,260

2 Andhra Pradesh 1,010,830

3 Gujarat 721,910

4 Kerala 667,330

5 Tamil Nadu 559,360

6 Maharashtra 556,450

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7 Orissa 349,480

8 Uttar Pradesh 325,950

9 Bihar 319,100

10 Karnataka 297,690

Between 2000 and 2010, the freshwater prawn farming in India has grown rapidly. The state of
Andhra Pradesh dominates the sector with over 86 percent of the total production in India with
approximately 60 percent of the total water area dedicated to prawn farming, followed by West
Bengal. Mixed farming of freshwater prawn along with carp is also very much accepted as a
technologically sound culture practice and a viable option for enhancing farm income. Thirty
five freshwater prawn hatcheries, at present producing about 200 million seed per annum, cater
for the requirements of the country.

Law and regulations

India has a federal structure of government. According to India's constitution, the power of
enacting laws is split between India's central government and the Indian states. The state
legislatures of India have the power to make laws and regulations with respect to a number of
subject-matters, including water (i.e., water supplies, irrigation and canals, drainage
and embankments, water storage and water power), land (i.e., rights in or over land, land tenure,
transfer, and alienation of agricultural land), fisheries, as well as the preservation, protection and
improvement of stock and the prevention of animal disease. There are many laws and regulations
that may be relevant to fisheries and aquaculture adopted at state level.
At the central level, several key laws and regulations are relevant to fisheries and aquaculture.
These include the British-era Indian Fisheries Act (1897), which penalizes the killing of fish by
poisoning water and by using explosives; the Environment (Protection) Act (1986), being an
umbrella act containing provisions for all environment related issues affecting fisheries and
aquaculture industry in India. India also has enacted the Water (Prevention and Control of
Pollution) Act (1974) and the Wild Life Protection Act (1972). All these legislations must be
read in conjunction with one another, and with the local laws of a specific state, to gain a full
picture of the law and regulations that are applicable to fisheries and aquaculture in India.

Research and training

Fisheries research and training institutions are supported by central and state governments that
deserve much of the credit for the expansion and improvements in the Indian fishing industry.
24
The principal fisheries research institutions, all of which operate under the Indian Council of
Agricultural Research, are the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute at Kochi (formerly
Cochin), Kerala; the Central Inland Fisheries Institute at Barrackpore, West Bengal; and
the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology atWillingdon Island near Kochi. Most fishery
training is provided by the Central Institute for Fishery Education in Mumbai, which has
ancillary institutions in Barrackpore, Agra(Uttar Pradesh), and Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh).
The Central Fisheries Corporation in Calcutta is instrumental in bringing about improvements in
fishing methods, ice production, processing, storing, marketing, and constructing and repairing
fishing vessels. Operating under a 1972 law, the Marine Products Export Development
Authority(MPEDA), headquartered in Kochi, has made several market surveys abroad and has
been instrumental in introducing and enforcing hygiene standards that have gained for Indian
fishery export products a reputation for cleanliness and quality.

Programmes
The Government of India launched National Fisheries Development Board in 2006. Its
headquarters are in Hyderabad, located in a fish shaped building. Its activity focus areas are:

 Intensive Aquaculture in Ponds and Tanks

 Fisheries Development in Reservoirs.

 Coastal Aquaculture

 Mariculture

 Seaweed Cultivation

 Infrastructure: Fishing Harbours and Landing Centres

 Fish Dressing Centres and Solar Drying of Fish

 Domestic Marketing

 Technology Upgradation

 Deep Sea Fishing and Tuna Processing

The implementation of two programs for inland fisheries—establishing fish farmers'

development agencies and the National Programme of Fish Seed Development—has led to
encouragingly increased production, which reached 1.5 million tons during FY 1990, up from
0.9 million tons in FY 1984. A network of 313 fish farmers' development agencies was
functioning in 1992. Under the National Programme of Fish Seed Development, forty fish-seed
hatcheries were commissioned. Fish-seed production doubled from 5 billion fry in FY 1983 to
10 billion fry in FY 1989. A new program using organic waste for aquaculture was started in
FY 1986. Inland fish production as a percent of total fish production increased from 36 percent
in FY 1980 to 40 percent by FY 1990.

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CONCLUSION
Special programs were undertaken to improve food and cash crops supply. The Grow More Food
Campaign (1940s) and the Integrated Production Programme (1950s) focused on food and cash
crops supply respectively. Five-year plans of India—oriented towards agricultural development
—soon followed. Land reclamation, land development, mechanization, electrification, use of
chemicals—fertilizers in particular, and development of agriculture oriented 'package approach'
of taking a set of actions instead of promoting single aspect soon followed under government
supervision. The many 'production revolutions' initiated from 1960s onwards included Green
Revolution in India, Yellow Revolution (oilseed: 1986-1990), Operation Flood (dairy: 1970-
1996), and Blue Revolution (fishing: 1973-2002) etc. Following the economic reforms of 1991,
significant growth was registered in the agricultural sector, which was by now benefiting from
the earlier reforms and the newer innovations of Agro-processing and Biotechnology.
Since independence, India has become one of the largest producers of wheat, edible oil, potato,
spices, rubber, tea, fishing, fruits, and vegetables in the world. The Ministry of Agriculture
oversees activities relating to agriculture in India. Various institutions for agriculture related
research in India were organized under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (est. 1929).
Other organizations such as the National Dairy Development Board (est. 1965), and National
Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (est. 1982) aided the formation of cooperatives and
improved financing.
Agricultural exports continued to grow at well over 10.1% annually through the 1990s.Contract
farming—which requires the farmers to produce crops for a company under contract—and high
value agricultural product increased. Contract farming led to a decrease in transaction costs while
the contract farmers made more profit compared to the non-contract workforce.However, small
landholding continued to create problems for India's farmers as the limited land resulted in
limited produce and limited profits.
But the fact remains that all together there has been a considerable growth in Indian GDP
accounting from agricultural activities which even today continues to grow at a steady rate.
Together the blue, white, yellow and green revolutions have further strengthened the Indian
dominion in the world as a potential next leading agricultural state in the future.

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